PRESIDENT’S WELCOME Whenever families and friends gather for the holidays, magical things happen. Experiences are shared, stories are told, and traditions emerge. Christmas Memories is a show built upon these epic tales passed on through the years, and enhanced by the power of music. Midwest Vocal Express has built its reputation on “Storytelling through Song,” and what we put on stage today is a natural extension of that purpose. We’ve also loaded up the show with talented quartets to share some of their favorite stories. The men of the MVE are proud to release our latest CD, Big Band Christmas, at today’s show. It’s available in the lobby for you to share with all your friends and family. (hint: great gift opportunity!) Would you be more at home onstage having a great time instead of in the audience? MVE is always looking for more singers to share the risers with. Learn more by visiting our regular Monday night meetings at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church in Greendale. Details are online at www.MVE.org. Our Christmas Memories run the gamut of emotions, as do the songs we sing, and our hope is that they will encourage you to share your Christmas Memories, too. Thank you for attending today’s show. Your support is critical to our performance. Sincerely,
Jim LaBelle, President
Midwest Vocal Express • P.O. Box 543 • Greendale, WI 53129 www.MVE.org • 888-240-4426 • Facebook • Twitter Midwest Vocal Express 1
Thanks to the following patrons and sponsors who by their generosity help to make your experience at this performance one to remember. Patrons: Christopher Carlson John “Bo” Gibson Jeanne Gruber Steve Johnson Dan Krueger Jim LaBelle
Larry Lewis Jane LeFevre Dennis Monroe Penny Van Wyhe Lorraine Wamai Cal Wetzel
Sponsors:
Harley Davison
Safro.com
Harmony Foundation To become a patron or sponsor and be added to our mailing list, contact us at marketing@MVE.org or call 888-240-4426. Midwest Vocal Express • P.O. Box 543 • Greendale, WI 53129 www.MVE.org • 888-240-4426 • Facebook • Twitter 2 Midwest Vocal Express
Christmas Memories! Saturday, December 11 2010 Greendale High School Auditorium featuring
Midwest Vocal Express Male A Cappella Chorus
Heart to Heart Quartet Skyline
Central States District Champion Quartet
Expedition
Land O Lakes District Champion Quartet
Mark Trevor Ranum Show Host
Order of Appearance Midwest Vocal Express Expedition Quartet MVE Quartet Club Midwest Vocal Express
INTERMISSION
Skyline Quartet Heart to Heart Quartert Midwest Vocal Express Finale
Midwest Vocal Express - Show Staff TIM ZIELKE Producer and Creative Director JIM LABELLE Script Writer JOSH UMHOEFER Show Chairman JIM SCHMIDT Chorus Manager CHUCK CRARY Ticket Chairman RICHARD KIRWIN Marketing MIKE LIETKE Choreographer DAVE DUNCAN Stage Manager Special Thanks to Greendale High School for their support, professionalism and hospitality.
Presenting Sponsor: The Harmony Inn, Historic Downtown Greendale Midwest Vocal Express * P.O. Box 543 * Greendale, WI 53129 www.MVE.org * 888-240-4426 * Facebook * Twitter Midwest Vocal Express 3
SPECIAL GUESTS AND PERFOR MERS Heart to Heart Quartet: Nancy Charles, Barb Hyder, Brad Charles, Kirk Hyder These two couples have over 100 years of vocal music experience and the guys have been friends since high school when they sang in their first barbershop quartet together. They competed in two other quartets collecting multiple medals in the Land O’ Lakes District. With the experience of singing together as a pair of couples, the quartet has a large following. In 2006, Heart to Heart competed at the Buckeye Invitational contest for mixed quartets held in Columbus, Ohio where they won first place honors. While living in different parts of the country is a challenge, Heart to Heart is very proud to once again be on stage with MVE. Skyline Quartet: Jake Pirner, Tim Zielke, Josh Umhoefer, Mike Louque MVE Members Tim and Josh met Jake and Mike (from the Central Standard Chorus in Kansas City) at Harmony University. Singing together as a quartet since 2008, the foursome competed in the Barbershop Harmony Society’s International Quartet Contest in the summer of 2009, finishing a respectable 29th in their first International contest appearance. In the fall of 2009, Skyline competed in the Central States District Quartet Competition, winning their first district level contest. This year, they again qualified for International, and were fortunate enough to place in the elite TOP 20 Quartets in the World. Expedition Quartet: Jeremy Ganswindt, Jay Fahl, Bryan Ziegler, Jake Umhoefer Formed in July of 2008, the guys hail from Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Missouri. With an average age of 22-years, they have a combined 33-years of membership in BHS and many experiences crossing the International stage. Recently, the quartet finished with a fifth place bronze medal in the Bank of America Collegiate Barbershop Quartet Contest at the BHS International Convention this past July, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The quartet is the 2009 “District Champion” in the Land O’ Lakes District winning the first time out.
Midwest Vocal Express * P.O. Box 543 * Greendale, WI 53129 www.MVE.org * 888-240-4426 * Facebook * Twitter 4 Midwest Vocal Express
SPECIAL GUESTS AND PERFOR MERS Midwest Vocal Express Quartet Club VLQ (Very Large Quartet) Founders: Bo Gibson and Bill Kilbourne Tenors: Bill Kilbourne and Andre Olivas Leads: Rich Kirwin, Matt Nagel, George Sonnentag, Randy Will Baritones: Scott Erickson, Dan Fenske, Bo Gibson, Dick Marcus Basses: Eric Anderson, Bob Krantz, Jim LaBelle, Mark Trevor Ranum, Dick Riege The QC VLQ meets the second and fourth Saturdays of the month at the Harmony Inn in Greendale, WI to learn the art of performing in a quartet and small group. The VLQ received the highest score in the singing category at the 2010 Division One contest. Our Host – Mark Trevor Ranum With two years experience singing with MVE, Mr. Ranum is delighted to be hosting the MVE Christmas show again this year. He has performed for myriad musical and theatrical groups throughout Southern Wisconsin since first setting foot on stage in his hometown of Janesville. He is a proud home office employee of the Northwestern Mutual Financial Network.
Popular MVE recordings
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Big Band Christmas CD Recently released CD is a live recording of the highly acclaimed show December of 2009. This Christmas celebration includes your chorus favorites, Premiere Quartet singing and the big band sound of All-Star SUPERband. A great gift for the whole family.
MVEvoluion DVD See Midwest Vocal Express Contest performances with medal winning performances of Broadway Waiters, Green Army Men and Fish. The history of “storytelling through song”!
Christmas with MVE CD The beauty of Christmas lives on with holiday favorites like “Mary Did You Know”, “Carol of the Bells”, the “Secret of Christmas” and “O Holy Night”.
New Orleans Decoupage CD Take an enjoyable trip to New Orleans, full of fun songs of the Big Easy, pop tunes and traditional favorites.
Midwest Vocal Express * P.O. Box 543 * Greendale, WI 53129 www.MVE.org * 888-240-4426 * Facebook * Twitter Midwest Vocal Express 5
M I DW E S T VO C A L E X P R E S S
Founded in 1989, Midwest Vocal Express (MVE) male a cappella chorus specializes in “Storytelling through Song,” performing: • Traditional barbershop favorites • Show tunes • Spirituals • Popular music Headquartered in Greendale, WI, and made up of singers from across Southeast Wisconsin, MVE is known locally for the best in family entertainment, and worldwide for their “legendary” theatrical presentations on the Barbershop Harmony Society’s International Contest Stage. Under Director Grant Wilson, Midwest Vocal Express thrives on changing the lives of the audience through performance. Grant Wilson brings a broad array of singing, directing and coaching talents. His directing career began in Canada, and in 1991, Wilson led the East York chapter of Toronto to the Barbershop Harmony Society International Competition. He has also served as Director for the Milwaukee, WI chapter and as assistant director of Midwest Vocal Express. As a singer, Grant has performed with a number of quartets, highlighted by appearances on the International Contest Stage with “Highfalutin,”“Hullabaloo,” and “Jackpot!”
MIDWEST VOCAL EXPRESS ON STAGE! 2010 Dec. 11 Christmas Shows.................................. Greendale High School Auditorium Dec. 12 Christmas Show............................................................................. Reedsburg, WI 2011 Feb. 12 Valentine Sweethearts Show........................Wauwatosa East High School April 30 Spring Chorus Contest . .................. Greendale High School Auditorium May 21 Spring Shows ..................................... Greendale High School Auditorium See our website for more information about shows and tickets. Midwest Vocal Express • P.O. Box 543 • Greendale, WI 53129 www.MVE.org • 888-240-4426 • Facebook • Twitter 6 Midwest Vocal Express
M I DW E S T VO C A L E X P R E S S P E R F O R M I N G M E M B E R S # Assistant Director * Section Leader +Asst. Section Leader Performance Team Members in Bold Tenors Jeff Dreger Jeremy Ganswindt Harry Hanson *Mike Lietke Andre Olivas Benjamin Stephany +Ashley York
Leads Jim Ansay John Biltz Fred Graskamp Scott Haugen Steve Johnson Rich Kirwin Matt McClellen John Miller Matt Nagel +Jim Schmidt George Sonnentag Randy Teuschmann John Ward Harold Zielgler Mike Ziegler *Tim Zielke
Basses Erik Anderson Bob Fichtner Jim Franklin *Scott Ganswindt Tom Hermann Jim LaBelle Jim Lewis Larry Lewis Gary Pratt Joe Pulvermacher Mark Trevor Ranum Dennis Stern Randy Will Bob Wozniak Brian Younger Walt Ziegler
Baritones Dave Baxter +Dave Bittrich Darryl Cremer Aaron Davis Scott Erickson Dan Fenske Dick Marcus *#Josh Umhoefer Tom Weber Grant Wilson Jerry Wolf
M I DW E S T VO C A L E X P R E S S O R G A N I Z AT I O N President........................................................................................................................ Jim LaBelle Past President.............................................................................................................. Larry Lewis Treasurer..................................................................................................................... Andre Olivas Secretary................................................................................................................ Fred Graskamp V. P. Music............................................................................................................... Josh Umhoefer V. P. Membership.........................................................................................................Tom Weber V. P. Marketing.............................................................................................................. Rich Kirwin Board Members at Large....................................................... Brian Younger, Dave Bittrich Quartet Club Founders..................................................................Bo Gibson, Bill Kilbourne Music Librarian.............................................................................................................John Ward Expressions Editor.......................................................................................................Randy Will Learning Tracks Engineer.................................................................................. Harry Hanson M I DW E S T VO C A L E X P R E S S M I S S I O N S TAT E M E N T Midwest Vocal Express, the Greendale, WI Chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society, is a fraternity dedicated to providing its members, audiences and community with: A cappella entertainment excellence, education in this unique American musical style, and altruistic service. COME SING WITH US ! Midwest Vocal Express meets Every Monday night at 7:00 p.m. St. Luke’s Lutheran Church 6705 Northway, Greendale, WI 53129 We perform popular songs in 4 part harmony Call us at 888-240-4426 or visit us on the web: www.MVE.org Midwest Vocal Express 7
Come for a meal, stay for the music.
Where Barbershop Quartets sing for their meals. Large banquet room available for weddings and family affairs. For reservations, call 414-423-6899 Harmony Inn the Village, 5601 Broad St. Greendale www.harmonyingreendale.com Tuesday-Saturday Breakfast: 8:00am - 11:00am Lunch: 11:00am - 2:30pm Friday Night Fish Fry 4:00pm - 8:00pm Sunday Breakfast Only: 8:00am - 1pm Closed Mondays
Try our Sunday Take-Out Special Available 8am - 1pm every Sunday
Come for Breakfast...Take Home Lunch! Our full menu is available for take-out! Just call ahead or stop by to place your order
Midwest Vocal Express • P.O. Box 543 • Greendale, WI 53129 www.MVE.org • 888-240-4426 • Facebook • Twitter